title: The effectiveness of fortified flour on micro-nutrient status in rural female adults in China.
abstract: This research was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of fortified flour on micronutrient status in poor rural adult women. A total of 4,700 farmers as the intervention group were supplied with multi-nutrient fortified wheat flour for three years, while 2750 farmers as the control group were supplied with unfortified wheat flour. Wheat flour was fortified with vitamins A, B-1, B-2, niacin, folic acid, iron and zinc in mg/kg at 2, 3.5, 3.5, 35, 1, 20 and 25, respectively. Blood samples were taken at baseline and annually from about 300 volunteer adult females aged 20-60 years in each group. Hemoglobin (Hb), serum retinol, serum iron, free erythrocyte protoporphyrin, serum zinc were measured annually and a dietary survey conducted every 6 months. Average intakes of fortified micronutrients increased to adequate levels with average consumption of fortified flour at 117 g per person per day. Intervention groups showed a significant increase in terms of Hb levels from 24 m to 36 m and anemia rate decreased from 15.1% at baseline to 10.8% at 36 m. Serum iron levels of the intervention group significantly increased from 12 m to 36 m and erythrocyte protoporphyrin decreased from 24 m to 36 m respectively. Serum retinol and serum zinc of intervention group improved significantly from 12 m to 36 m compared with baseline and control group. The results showed that the fortified flour could improve micronutrient status of adult females in poor rural region.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Nutrition and Food Safety, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 29 Nanwei Road, Xuanwu District, Beijing 10050, China. jshuo@263.net.cn
authors.forename: Junsheng
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Huo
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Wenxian
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Lijuan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Lilian
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Selenje
authors.forename: Gary R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Gleason
authors.forename: Xiaodong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002681:China; D004032:Diet; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D005433:Flour; D005527:Food, Fortified; D006293:Health Promotion; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000097:blood; D018977:Micronutrients / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009752:Nutritional Status; D011524:Protoporphyrins / Q000097:blood; D012424:Rural Population; D014908:Triticum; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000097:blood; D015032:Zinc / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins; D018977:Micronutrients; D011524:Protoporphyrins; D014801:Vitamin A; D007501:Iron; D015032:Zinc